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My entire desktop disappeared into icloud. I can see all the folders and files, but I am unable to get it back on my mac mini!

I have followed online posted steps to recover the folders that were on my desktop but nothing works. I am running Catalina.


Posted on Jun 12, 2020 12:08 PM

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Posted on Jun 12, 2020 8:35 PM

Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

"If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, you have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. Whether you decide to keep a local copy or not, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. If you choose to keep a local copy, your files in iCloud Drive are copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. Then you have the option to move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents, back to your new local Desktop and Documents."

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 12, 2020 8:35 PM in response to Borg007

Add your Desktop and Documents files to iCloud Drive - Apple Support

"If you turn off iCloud Drive or sign out of iCloud, you have the option to keep a local copy of your files that are in iCloud Drive. Whether you decide to keep a local copy or not, a new Desktop and Documents folder is created in your home folder. If you choose to keep a local copy, your files in iCloud Drive are copied to a folder called iCloud Drive (Archive) in your home folder. Then you have the option to move any files that were in your iCloud Desktop and Documents, back to your new local Desktop and Documents."

Jun 13, 2020 11:13 AM in response to Malcolm J. Rayfield

The operation concept you describe did not work that way on my desktop. The folders did re-download to my mac min and importantly. My react json files disappeared from every folder (4 different projects) - why would these be systemically be removed? It's hard to accept that I am paying for a service that has failed to live up to expectations so poorly with damaging effect.


Jun 13, 2020 11:38 AM in response to Malcolm J. Rayfield

How do I permanently eliminate iCloud so that the damage of lost files never occurs again?


Its like a virus having cost me 2 fulls days trying to copy files from the clouds directly which never worked. The folders only reappeared on my desktop once I turned it back on and now now of my react scripts can be found which basically means several days of fixing the problem. These scripts are not stored in Github and I am not sure what was recovered which could lead to further disaster if I try to recover java scripted pages from Github.

My entire desktop disappeared into icloud. I can see all the folders and files, but I am unable to get it back on my mac mini!

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